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Becoming a Blue Light Champion

A Blue Light champion is an employee or volunteer who takes action in the workplace to raise awareness of mental health problems. They challenge the way people think and act about mental health.

Anyone working in the police, fire, ambulance or search and rescue services could be a mental health champion, whether or not you have personal experience of mental health problems.

You can find out more about becoming a Champion in our toolkits and by speaking to your Blue Light lead in your organisation, if you have one.

We have some resources below to help you set up a network, or advocate for better mental health.

If you would like to become a Blue Light lead or know how to embed best practice in delivering mental health support in your service, our Blue Light Programme Toolkit will help.

On this page, you can find:

Image credit: City of London Police

Darren's story (fire)

Mental health champion Darren talks about how he shares his personal experiences of PTSD and depression to give others the confidence to talk about their mental health.

Champion toolkit

Whether you want to become a champion, or are interested in starting a champions programme in your organisation, we have resources to help you. We'll also be sharing a new toolkit here for Blue Light Champions from April 2021.

  • Champion role description – Use our template, or see our example as a guide. N.B. this resource is from our 2015 to 2019 programme so the link inside to 'register your interest' is no longer applicable. See above for information on how to become a Champion.
  • Mental health champion application form – To help you recruit mental health champions in your organisation. Download (Word file)
  • Introduction to mental health awareness presentation – Raise awareness of mental health amongst your colleagues. You can add and adapt slides to meet your needs. Read the presentation cover note before you get started.
  • Maintaining boundaries and managing conversations guide – Details some ideas surrounding boundaries, which could help keep you and your colleagues safe. This was developed for use during the Blue Light Programme 2015 to 2019, but still has lots of useful information. Download (PDF)
  • Making better mental health happen – More ideas for how you can raise awareness, including case studies from emergency services. Download (PDF)

Champion workshop

We've developed a workshop to support champions to talk about their own mental health, identify ways to support themselves and hear from other Champions who have shared their experiences. The workshop is designed to be delivered to champions, and led by either a fellow champion or facilitator. 

Download the materials

Peer support

Our research shows that emergency services staff and volunteers really value peer support in managing their mental health. We've developed these resources to help you set up or build on existing peer support networks within your organisation.

You can also find out more about how we're developing peer support training for our Blue Light Champions.

  • Mind's Side by Side resources toolkit contains everything you need for setting up or building on your peer support project. Download (PDF).
  • Peer support benefits presentation. Want to encourage your service to create space for peer support? Use our presentation to get the right people on board. Download the presentation notes (PDF).
  • Looking after yourself as a peer supporter – interview. We talked to Amanda, a peer supporter from North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) to see how she stays well in her role. Read the interview.
  • Top tips from peer supporters. We brought together 11 peer supporters across the emergency services to share their key tips on delivering peer support. Read their top tips (PDF).

Image credit: Paul Wood

Information and resources

We have further resources if you're thinking of becoming a champion, or developing a champion programme in your workplace. 

Posters, cards and leaflets

You could display posters around your organisation and give a top-tips card to your team members to promote better mental health in your workplace. 

Download materials

Information booklets

Download our service-specific information booklets to help you learn more about managing mental health in the emergency services, or supporting a colleague to seek help.

Get information

Watch our webinars

Our webinar films include practical practical tips and suggestions for looking after your own mental wellbeing, as well as your colleagues.

Watch the webinars

Other ways to support mental health

Some other ways you can help to support mental health in your service include:

  • Reading our information, blogs and resources at Mental Health at Work for staff and volunteers in the emergency services. Please share these with your colleagues to help them to manage their mental health during the pandemic.
  • Downloading our free Blue Light Programme Blueprint Pack, for step-by-step guidance on how to set up or embed activity around mental health in your service.
  • Following @mindbluelight on Twitter and retweeting updates to keep colleagues and your wider networks informed.
  • Signing up to the Blue Light Newsletter for your monthly round up of support, information and resources by emailing [email protected]
  • Fundraising for Mind by getting together with colleagues to hold a fundraising activity in your organisation, or take on a personal challenge in aid of Mind.

Blue Light stories

Some of our Blue Light Champions have shared their experiences of being a Champion, with tips and suggestions to support you. 

Read here 

Credit: London Ambulance Service

Other ways to get involved

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